Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet considered the report at its meeting today (22 September) which highlights a wide range of practical action delivered including:
- More than 87,000 trees planted through biodiversity initiatives – enough to cover around 80 football pitches
- 27,000 tonnes of household food waste recycled – around 2,700 lorry loads
- Enough energy saved from upgrades to schools and other council buildings to power around 2,800 homes a year
- 41,000 children and young people taking part in walk to school initiatives, reducing rush hour congestion at the same time as bringing health benefits
- 1.6 million additional bus journeys made following improvements to bus services, reducing congestion and taking 40 cars off the road with each full bus
Additionally, opportunities to secure external Government funding to progress practical actions have included:
- £1.5 million for to train local people in home retrofit, heat pump technology and electric vehicle maintenance
- £6.66 million through the Government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, which will see 17,000 new public charge points installed across the county
- £13 million to improve local bus services, across Hampshire through the Bus Service Improvement Plan
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Nick Adams-King said: "The effects of climate change are already being felt across Hampshire, from more frequent flooding, drought conditions and extreme weather to the pressures they place on our communities and services.
"That's why we're taking practical action that makes a real difference. Whether it's helping more children walk to school, improving local bus services, generating renewable energy from our buildings, planting thousands of trees or helping residents access electric vehicle charging, we're making good progress while delivering benefits people can see in their everyday lives.
"We've already achieved a great deal, but there is more to do. Our focus is on protecting Hampshire's environment, making our communities more resilient and ensuring public services are prepared for the challenges a changing climate will bring in the years ahead."
Alongside the Annual Report, Cabinet also approved a new climate strategy setting out plans to further cut emissions from the Authority’s own operations, protect the county’s natural environment and help communities cope with the growing impacts of climate change, including flooding, heatwaves and other extreme weather.